Our Mission
United with the community, our staff of correctional professionals provides a safe environment for all while positively influencing those in our custody to become productive members of society.
Our Vision
Our vision is to provide the highest level of correctional services to the citizens of Allegany County, Maryland.
Direct Supervision Philosophy
Direct Supervision is a management philosophy, backed by a supervisory style for inmates, supported by a physical plant design that places staff face to face with inmates with full responsibility for the management of inmate behavior. All officers work in direct contact with the inmates on a day-to-day basis, interacting, listening, and communicating with the inmates.
The Sheriff of Allegany County is responsible for protecting the citizens of Allegany County by providing a secure holding facility for persons legally placed in confinement within Allegany County. The Corrections Division of the Sheriff’s Office is mandated to provide for the safety of the inmates placed into its custody by maintaining a humane living environment at the Detention Center, while also providing a safe working environment for the staff of the center. The facility operates upon the following principles:
- The physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of all the inmates is a primary concern.
- A variety of programs are provided to aid interested inmates with their reintegration process.
In order to meet these goals, a sufficient number of trained staff is provided to maintain the operation of the facility. The entire staff of the center is dedicated to providing a correctional program that meets applicable County, State, and Federal standards. Concerted efforts are made to ensure that the inmates’ human rights and dignity are not violated.
The Allegany County Detention Center is now utilizing Guardian RFID technology.
GUARDIAN RFID® helps jails of all sizes maximize defensibility, compliance, and operational efficiency by managing, monitoring, and tracking in-custody inmates in real-time. GUARDIAN RFID is deployed by jails of all sizes throughout the United States.
Inmates are required to wear non-implantable devices at all times. Any incident of non-compliance will not be tolerated. Inmates will be subject to fines and disciplinary action, including prosecution.
All systems and devices using RFID technology are designed, tested, and manufactured to comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. RF energy levels generated are similar to those found in consumer electronics. Inmate-worn devices are hypoallergenic. RF-based inmate identification is the exclusive property of Allegany County.
ADDICTIONS
JSAP (Jail Substance Abuse Program) in collaboration with the Allegany County Health Department, provides an intensive substance abuse recovery program. Inmates within the program meet individually and in a group setting to receive education, counseling, treatment, and referrals. The SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) model is used upon entry to the facility to screen for potential substance abuse. Inmates are screened on numerous occasions, given intervention, and referred to treatment while incarcerated and upon release. The facility provides a state grant funded Medicated Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program to those inmates who qualify. The goal of the MOUD program is to replace the self-administered addiction with a safe physician-monitored program while addressing underlying issues through mental health and peer counseling.
COMMISSARY/INDIGENT SERVICES
Inmates may purchase clothing, hygiene articles, stationary needs, and snacks at their own expense from the facility commissary. The facility provides certain items to those inmates who have no funds (indigent inmates). Bus tickets, housing assistance, and other life need referrals are also provided on an as-needed basis.
Inmates may receive money into their commissary account by cash deposit at the facility commissary kiosk or by electronic deposit at http://jailatm.com/
Families may order gifts for inmates during the holidays athttps://allegamd.jailcanteen.com/.
GED
The intended purpose of the Allegany County Adult Education program at ACDC is to provide the inmates an opportunity to improve their academic skills. The areas which receive the greatest focus are reading and math, but also extend to writing, social studies, and science. The ultimate goal is to help prepare each student with the academic tools needed to continue their education and/or enter the workforce upon their release from incarceration. Inmates are encouraged to pursue their education further and are given information regarding GED in the community. In addition to general education, the detention center offers other programs to assist them with basic life skills for their reentry into the community.
In the big picture, the adult education program at ACDC is provided to enrich the lives of every student who participates, with the prospect that they will take what they have learned to better their lives on the outside, which ultimately will benefit their families, and improve their neighborhoods and the community at large.
LIBRARY
The Allegany County Detention Center Library has a catalog of over 4,000 books. Inmates have the opportunity to check out reading material from the library on a regular basis for their own enjoyment. The contents of the library include reading materials of all genres and educational levels. Inmates are encouraged to use the library for both entertainment and self-improvement purposes (i.e., instructional arts and drawing, 12 Step books, Reentry guides, etc.).
MEDICAL SERVICES
Medical services are provided to inmates by a contracted medical company. Medication to inmates is administered on a regular schedule as ordered by the facility physician. There is 24/7 nursing staff so that all emergencies are handled by either an RN or an LPN. Sick calls are completed 7 days a week and they are done within 12 to 24 hours for all sick calls. Flu vaccines and tuberculosis testing is offered yearly to inmates and to all officers and medical staff. Emergency and non-emergency services are provided to all of the officers, support staff, and inmates. Mental health counseling is provided to inmates on a regular schedule. Medical provides dental services every month to inmates. Chronic clinic services to all inmates are provided, initially and then every 90 days which includes patient education, laboratory studies, etc. blood pressure checks, dressing changes, stat labs, EKG's and nebulizer treatments for Asthma and COPD inmates, etc. Medical does initial intake screening and then physicals within 14 days of being incarcerated and then yearly physicals and PPD’s. We provide outside appointments with specialists and ob/GYN services as well. The Allegany County Health Department conducts STD, Hepatitis C, and HIV testing.
No inmate is ever denied medical services, medication, or treatment due to a lack of finances. Inmates are charged a nominal one-time fee for sick call requests and a low monthly fee for medication. Any inmate admitted to the hospital without insurance is now eligible for Medicaid and will be assisted in that process by medical staff.
RE-ENTRY COORDINATION:
The Detention Center employs a Re-entry Coordinator, who provides case management, referrals services and coordinating program activities for ex-offenders who have completed their jail sentence. A major role the reentry coordinator has is to assist with connecting housing, employment, behavior health and substance abuse services. They meet with the inmates to understand their strengths and limitations to re-entering society upon release. Often, it’s as simple as supplying the inmate with proper clothing to leave the facility. Inmates who may have been arrested in the warm summer months but are being released in the winter will need proper attire. Birth certificates, social security cards and medical assistance, are just a few of the items the coordinator can assist with upon request. They also provide for agencies to enter the facility for job training for inmates so they can be employed when they return to the community.
The purpose of re-entry is simple, but not easy. Be an agent of change to reduce recidivism. Be the conduit to improving pre and post-release services. Act as a facilitator to better prepare the inmate for release and connecting them with local community resources.
RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS
The facility has a chaplain for religious needs. They provide a listening ear when individuals are experiencing a difficult time in their lives. They are willing to listen to anyone about anything, although they don’t have all the answers or can’t do anything to assist them with their legal or personal issues, they do offer spiritual guidance and a comforting companionship in times of great need. All denominations are served when incarcerated. The Chaplain provides spiritual counseling and prayer for those who desire it. They obtain and distribute literature and texts to those who request it. They try to find small ways to bring a little comfort and joy into the residents’ lives. They work to facilitate a small celebration during the holidays for the children of the incarcerated.
WORK OPPORTUNITIES
County Work Crew - Inmates may participate in a county work program in conjunction with the Allegany County Department of Public Works.
Facility Workers - Inmates may be granted the privilege of working within the facility to earn additional time off of their sentence. Positions within their housing unit for cleaning purposes are available, as well as positions in the kitchen, laundry, floor maintenance crew, and gardening. All positions teach trade skills that can be used beyond the facility when the inmate has completed their sentence.
TECHNOLOGY-ENTERTAINMENT, MESSAGING, AND VISITS
Out of necessity during COVID, the detention center was challenged to keep inmates and staff safe while providing for the needs of inmates. To that end, inmates now have access to tablets for self-guided education, a free up-to-date legal library, 2 messaging systems to maintain contact with friends and family, and additional phone call stations from the tablets. The tablets are free to use and inmates can earn money credits from the tablet’s educational platform to use for phone calls or to purchase other items such as movies from the tablet system.
Visits with attorneys, social workers and other professionals can be held via Zoom and allows for more contact with those professionals. Also visits with friends and family that had been eliminated because of the pandemic are now done by video, either paid for by the visitor from their own device, or for free at a video visit station in the facility lobby. To schedule a video visit with an inmate, go to www.homewav.com and set up an account.
